The Gilded Age Already Has The Perfect Dowager Replacement
Warning: SPOILERS for The Gilded Age Episode 1 «Never The New»
HBO's The Gilded Age may be set in America but Julian Fellowes' new period drama comes with the perfect replacement for Downton Abbey's beloved Lady Violet, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith). Set in 1882 New York City, The Gilded Age centers on the societal conflict between the wealthy families of «Old New York» and the upstart multimillionaires who represent «new money,» embodied by railroad tycoon George Russell (Morgan Spector) and his ambitious wife Bertha (Carrie Coon). Newly arrived Marian Brooks (Louisa Jacobson) must learn the rules of New York high society if she expects to survive inThe Gilded Age.
Despite its distinctly American setting, The Gilded Age has many similarities to Downton Abbey, including upstairs/downstairs intrigue between servants and their employers. The fabulously wealthy Russells and their counterparts, the van Rhijns, live across the street from each other on fashionable Fifth Avenue. The Russells' brand new, palatial estate and the van Rhijns more modest but still luxurious townhouse each have sets of servants like butlers, maids, and chefs who keep the houses running, just as Downton's indomitable cast of servants like Carson the butler (Jim Carter) and Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan) do for their great house in Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Upstairs, Bertha Russell has a lady's maid named Turner (Kelley Curran), just like the Crawley women have in Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) and Miss Baxter (Raquel Cassidy).
Related: How The Gilded Age Can Become The Next Downton Abbey
The most obvious — and best — counterpart The Gilded Age has to Downton Abbey is Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski), who is the HBO drama's version of Lady
Read more on screenrant.com
